Snowboard Review: 09-10 Capita Indoor Survival FK

First Impression: It was an easy board to transition to, I didn’t need any adjustment time and went straight to riding without feeling out of sorts with it.

Size: 156cm

Weight: average

Flex: Indoor has a softer flex on the nose and tail giving it a more freestyle focus for pressing and playing around with. Between the bindings it’s stiffer so the torsionally it’s still very stable when riding despite being a more freestyle focused board. I found the flex really playful and not a overall difficult ride.

Turning: It was quick and easy to turn onto edge and hold each edge in the hardpacked groomers. The FK makes it easy to initiate turns and easy to hold an edge, you never feel like it’s too grippy or too aggressive once it’s on edge. The radial sidecut doesn’t throw any surprises into the mix, each turn you know how it’ll come out of the turn.

Stable: It was the first run of the day and no one was on the mountain yet, so I had a lot of fun just charging down the runs with the board. I didn’t feel unstable or any issues with the hardpacked groomers. I didn’t have much chop to take it through to judge stability in there.

Pop: I found it had good pop, no issues with popping off the rollers. The tail was easy to butter with.

Switch: It was really easy to switch around into riding switch, no catching edges and I had no problems with riding the Indoor Survival regular or switch.

Overall Impression: I hadn’t rode the Indoor Survival before and having the FK made it still a fun ride but not a crazy soft noodle board, it was able to charge and handle the mountain with a little extra spice to it. There wasn’t much of a transition to ride it, no adjustment period. The only place I didn’t like the Indoor Survival was in the halfpipe, but I wasn’t expecting it to hold exceptionally well in the halfpipe either. I liked how it rode, it was fun to play with but still could handle freeriding.

Shay’s Honesty Box: It was the first board of the demo’s and I never forgot it which to me is a good sign that I liked it even after 3 days of riding other boards.

*This Review was done in February 2009, please be aware that products may change.

About the author

From the beginning of time, I was Shannon. From the beginning of snowboarding, I was Shay. From the beginning of online communities, I was Shayboarder. In the end, I’m the writer, photographer, editor, publisher, guru of sorts, product tester, curvy girl, and most importantly the snowboarder behind it all. Follow me on this journey through snowboarding, mountain biking, traveling and fun experiences!

41 Comments

optionrider

February 16, 2009

Great review, shay! Thanks! It’s gonna be a damn tough decision for me. I’ll have to demo the Indoor FK, Pusher ’85 and Live RC for myself at the WSSF. Luckily, I finish my exams the day before the last demo weekends.

Hi Shay,How would you compare the Indoor FK to the Horrorscope? I’m not sure if you’ve ridden the 2010 horrorscope yet but based on the ’09 would you say the stiffness/flex is comparable? or is the horrorscope much softer? I’m debating between these two boards for next year and definitely want a board I can press/butter but still perform well all over the mountain. Plus, I’ve heard next years horrorscope was made a little stiffer then this years. I know the indoor has a sintered base which is an important difference. However, I”m more concerned with the stiffness. Let me know what you think and how you would compare the two.Thanks

Option, I’ll be up there the 20th to 27th now and staying with some of the older snowboard.com crew while i’m there so we’ll definitely have to meet up.

I haven’t rode the 09-10 horrorscope but i’ll check to see if anything changed. The horrorscope is much softer than the Indoor Survival FK, indoor really takes on the whole mountain riding while the horrorscope is more softer park orientated.

I actually was able to try a Horrorscope today (09 version). Although it is ridiculously soft it still rode well on east coast hardpack/ice. Only issue was I felt every bump under my feet which was an issue after a whole day of riding. Was wondering, would you say the Indoor FK is softer then the Lib SB? Since I’m looking for something a little softer then the SB but not as soft as the horrorscope.

I would say it’d be a close call on the width with size 12’s. The waist width for the bigger sizes is over 25 and it will be wider than that where the bindings are. Alot depends on your stance angles and width as well.

Sizing up, varies on what you want to do. Riding a wide board in the correct size would be better than having to size up to say a board you want to ride in park and would be good big for what you are riding it for. What riding are you looking at?

Hey Shay, i know you rode the Pusher ’85 and also this board. I really am liking both a lot. I was wondering if you had a preference for a rider that just wants to make the whole mountain his playground. Also which one is softer? I would think they would be about the same. I am on my third year of riding and am looking to buy one of these 2 boards this year. I am hoping to try both out but i was wondering what your opinion was if you put them up against one another. of course they are both going to be nice, but head to head. what are your opinions. Thanks =)

Jib, sorry for the delay, busy weekend! I just replied to your comment on the pusher. I think if you are rocking size 12 boots it might be close on both of this to whether they will work for you with your ww you need.

For which is stiffer/softer, they vary. Indoor was stiffer between the bindings and softer towards the tip and tail, pusher was stiffer nose and tail with a softer torsional flex between the bindings. Both held up great for all mountain riding, it’d be tough to choose between them so definitely if you can demo them that would be better. I think with either board you are getting a solid choice. What board are you currently riding?

07 Salomon Pulse. It has held up, but it is pretty stiff. It has been a good startin board. i am ready to progress though. Something softer. but something i can make the whole mountain my playgrond and also somethign to make it a little easier to progress in the park. i have basically tried to narrow it down. This and the pusher. i like both a lot from what all i know of them. just trying to get some more feedback. you seemed like the right girl to ask ha. can learn anything in the damn forums. but yeah. thanks

Hi Shay!
Awsome blog! Became one of my morning rituals, to see whats new here.
At the moment I am realy not sure, if I will go with the “indoor fk” or the “horrorscope” for next year. I am riding a 07/08 gnu riders choice and i like it, but which capita do you think, is the most comparable to my gnu? Perhaps even the “ultrafear”? Got no chance to demo capita…
Thanks

Thanks really stoked to hear that! The Indoor Survival is most like your Riders Choice but will be softer than your RC. The horrorscope will be a lot softer than your RC. Are you replacing your Riders Choice or maybe just picking up a second board?

Hey Shay. Love reading everything you do. I just wanted to say that I rode the 08-09 lib tech skunk ape all year then got to ride this and the horrorscope both in FK and they both are ten times fun-er then my skunk ape. I have size 13 boots so i would probably have to ride the horrorscope wide for most of the time but i really like them both but the indoor survival a little more.

Thus, I am not sure how i will feel on a reverse/rocker-cambered board, I think I´ll keep my Riders Choice. I´m suprised that u think the Indoor Survival will be softer, because in my opinion my RC is not realy a stiff board. Had a 07/08 Atomic Alibi and a 05/06 Uninc before and both were stiffer as far as I remember.
What do u think about the Ultrafear, is that one perhaps between the other ones depending stiffnes?
If the Indoor Survival realy is like my RC, that would be a huge argument for going with that one.
Thanks a lot!!!

Jordan, Thanks for the props! Oh yeah huge difference I bet from the Skunk Ape to the Indoor or horrorscope. Awesome you liked them, definitely more fun. I preferred the indoor survival as well, just more capable of all mountain than the horrorscope which was fun but more park.

Eiki,
Ah yes you’ve got the cambered Riders Choice, my mistake for thinking it was BTX. The Riders Choice stiffened up when it went to BTX, i rode it when it was cambered in 06-07 and was definitely a more fun freestyle ride, then when I rode it with BTX later on, kind of amazed that it went for the more stiffer freestyle ride, very capable of landing jumps with it kind of board. I heard for 09-10 the riders choice is a tad softer but I haven’t demoed it yet to know for sure. Compared to the 09-10 Indoor Survival FK to the 08-09 Riders Choice BTX, the Indoor was softer.

Ultrafear I don’t think anyone has rode yet, it’s on my list to demo with the construction that creates it, definitely a good idea.

It’ll be hard to tell, do you have any demos you could get on to compare to your RC?

Hi again!
I tried to demo some capita boards, but my connection here didin´t made it happen. In fact I rode the horroscope once, unfortunately for only one slope and with too large bindings. So thats not representative… I took another slope on a friends Jamie Lynn BTX, which didint felt too much different to my Gnu RC depending stiffnes etc.
Theres no doubt that I will buy a capita this year (only brand I get that cheap besides burton), but the decision is realy tough. Ultrafear, Indoor or Horror????

First got to say – love this website! been using it the last couple of years to get my previews for the next seasons boards and bindings, it’s been really helpful, cheers!

I was wondering if you would beable to tell me what differences there are between riding the original Indoor Survival and the Indoor Survival FK. I used to ride the Indoor Survival a couple of seasons back and im considering getting another one this season. I’ve always ridden conventional camber boards however I’ve heard a lot of good things about reverse camber. Just not to sure which one i should go for!? Any feed back would be greatly appreciated!

great post guys, helps me out a bit.
I have the 09 skate banana, and i do like it, but want something that is softer, and has less reverse camber (like FK). I rode a gnu street series board, 09, and thats probably the closest to what i want (as far as stiffness) just don’t want a full reverse camber board.

I’m looking at the capita horrorscope as an option, only thing i’m worried about is maybe its a little 2 soft. But considering its supposed to be a little stiffer than last years I think it should be good. Any chance anybody has rode a ride crush, rome 1985 artifact, or a k2 world wide weapon? To compare.. Those are what i’m tring to decide between. i have friends that have rode most of these boards….just not the horrorscope.

i was lookin at this board but the only size at the shop is a 160, I’m about 5’11” and weigh about 175. I usually ride a 158 board which is stiffer than this one. For the most part I’m just east coast free riding. I’m looking for a board that I can definitely use all mountain, but is still flexible and fun enough for the park. Do you think a 160 is just too big for the park? or does the softness of the board make it more controllable?

I’m hoping to pick up either an 09/10 survival fk or 09/10 green machine fk and was wondering how each compare? I’m into park and all mountain and mostly jib jump and hit small rails. Also would I be ok on a 156 with a size 12 boot riding 12/-12?

bono im guessing here but ill bet that a 56 is gonna be a bit narrow for that if you arent using boots that shrink your footprint.
Maybe a midlife or extreme would do you better if youre not that stuck on getting FK. It seems like your looking for FK though and a waist width of 25 seems a bit small for your size feet. thats just my opinion though.(midlife and extreme both have a waist width of 25.5 at 156 size)

I agree with Lee, the ww on the 156 is 25.1 so it’d be taking a risk that your size 12’s would fit on it. It might depending on your stance width but it’s still a chance. You could always set up the bindings on the indoor and see for yourself with your stance what it’d look like.

So what would be the minimum ww i would be ok on riding at 12-12? Im thinking of getting a 153 or 155 ultrafear which has ww of 25.35 and 25.5. Also does anyone know the differences in this years ultrafear from last years? And if possible can anyone help me find an 09 ultrafear? those graphics are sick!

other post was a bit short since I was on my way to a football game. I was wrong on differences I think. May have a new resin holding it together and wax infused base. Those seem like the only construction changes(personally i think its just the resin since i dont have last years catalog anymore).The new resin process cuts down on weight. But since finding a 09 may not happen it really shouldnt matter that much.

I finally got to demo the indoor fk. It’s taken me a long time to warm up to reverse camber, but I am really starting to appriciate the flat between the bindings type reverse camber designs. I rode the 10-11 model. This board is dialed for all mountain fun. Just stiff enough to carve and nimble enough to play with. Very quick edge to edge and an easy intuitive transition from camber. No big jumps out yet, but the small ones I hit, the board felt very stable. Probably won’t be the ultimate rail or pipe stick, but for the jack of all traits rider it will get the job done nicely. Good job on this one Capita!